1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for determining the amount of pulldown force and/or other operational characteristics needed to move a convertible top in either or both of its opening and closing directions.
2. Disclosure Information
Articulated convertible tops which fold into a cavity located behind the passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle typically employ a complicated linkage mechanism for allowing the top to properly articulate and fold across the sometimes considerable longitudinal expanse of a vehicle's cockpit. Such tops use a large number of movable components which are joined with an equally large number of articulating joints; such joints are characterized by frictional characteristics, which, unfortunately, often vary quite extensively from one top to the next. This means that manufacturers of vehicles employing such convertible tops are often faced with an unhappy situation with manually operated tops because customers may complain that an individual top's operability is not satisfactory because too much force is required to move the top to, for example, its fully closed position. If, on the other hand, the manufacturer uses a power-driven top, variability in the operational force requirement of the top may require the vehicle manufacturer to install a much more powerful drive mechanism than would otherwise be the case were the variability in the force to be accounted for and controlled during the manufacturing process for the convertible top. Yet another problem could arise were the manufacturer to install a drive mechanism having a motor with insufficient capacity for a substantial percentage of the tops, because such motors would likely suffer truncated useful lives.
A method and system according to the present invention allows manufacturers of convertible tops, and ultimately, manufacturers of convertible top vehicles, to accurately assess the operational force requirements for tops installed on a series of vehicles, both during and after the manufacturing process has been completed. Armed with the data for each individual top, as well as trend analyses of the data, the manufacturers of the top and vehicle will be able to make necessary adjustments required to keep the operating effort or force within acceptable limits for manual as well as power operation, or even with tops combining manual and power operation.